Let me start off by saying I am a loyal fan of True Blood.
Ever since I first heard to words Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton, I became a huge fan of the sexy vampire tale (which now includes fairies, witches, werewolves and mediums) in Bon Temps, Louisiana.
However the second season of the Atlanta, Georgia based "The Walking Dead" has made me wavering my feelings on which is my favorite southern fried horror TV show
How is this possible?
I blame two culprits: HBO and "The Walking Dead" writers.
I blame HBO because the new season won't begin until June 2012, which isn't bad until you realize the last episode ended in October 2011.
Once upon a time you could do this.
A few years ago, fans of HBO shows like "True Blood", "Entourage" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" had no choice but to wait long months, sometimes a over a year to watch a new season.
However, in recent years, cable outlets like TNT, USA Newtworks and Showtime has decided to break up episodes to give viewers a chance to see their shows year round.
These channels produced the same amount of episodes as the HBO shows, sometimes less but because they were spread out, it felt like you were watch more episodes, (doesn't it feel like a new episode of "Burn Notice" and "Royal Pains" appear every other month?)
When "The Walking Dead" went away back in the winter time, I cursed the TV, but I knew that I only had to wait a few months for a new episode on AMC.
In contrast, because "True Blood's season ended in the fall, I knew had to a long wait.
So by the time the show returns in June, I have to watch a marathon on HBO or try to remember the captivating vamp storylines that once mesmerized me has now faded, replaced by images of walkers on a country farm ("True Blood's" season finale with a bloody Tara in the arms of Sookie is still great, but I still have to wait three more month's to see the aftermath).
Which brings me to my second culprit, "The Walking Dead" writers.
I blame them because this second season has been so darn good.
Although its disturbing that the show are wiping main characters left and right, each episode draws you in with so much tension and drama that at times it has nothing to do with the zombies, but human relationships.
This season focused on the who is the true leader of the group, good guy, but upstanding Sheriff Rick or his loose cannon, but realistic deputy Shane.
In this most recent episode "Last Man Standing", The showdown between Rick and Shane was arguably one most compelling Emmy worthy moments on television this season.
The tension between the two had nothing to do with zombies at all, but the fractured relationship between two former best friends and the different paths they took to reach the same conclusion: survival
However, much like "True Blood" as well as "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" and "Angel during its peak, Emmy voters will probably skip over this Emmy worthy episode because the of the show's fantasy element.
I counter this Emmy voter elitism by saying, fantasy to me is a mob boss spilling his secrets to a therapist ("Sopranos") or a group of housewives covering up a murder ("Desperate Housewives") or any show in New York City with no diversity.
For exception of shows like "60 Minutes" or "Intervention", most shows on TV are fantasy.
So to me, a group of people trying to survive a zombie apocalypse is no different than a 1960's ad agency where most of the male characters are cool, chain smoking studs who are marketing geniuses (let's be real, most ad execs back then and now are more Don Knotts than "Mad Men's" Don Draper right?).
As "The Walk Dead" nears its season finale this weekend, my Sunday nights will become quite empty (especially as Showtime's "House of Lies" will end a few weeks later).
Here's hoping the return of "True Blood" will once again thrill me, just like Rick, Shane and the zombies did twice this season.
All I have to do is wait for vamps Bill, Eric Pam and Jessica to make this happen in June.
Which show is your favorite?
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